GENETICALLY
ENGINEERED TREES:
The greatest threat to forests and animals since the chainsaw!

NATIVE
FOREST NETWORK PRESS RELEASE

For Immediate Release July
17, 2001

Contact: Anne Petermann/Brian
Tokar/Jason Ford
(802) 863-0571

Major Report Released on Global
Threat of Genetically Engineered Trees

Burlington, VT--The Native
Forest Network (NFN) announced today the release of their 24 page report,
"From Native Forests to Franken-Trees, The Global Threat of Genetically
Engineered Trees." The NFN is considered one of the leading authorities
on GE trees in the environmental movement.

"The genetic engineering
of trees demonstrates the collusion between multinational timber, chemical
and biotechnology industries in league with universities and government
agencies to promote a technology that will bring billions in profits at
the expense of native forests and native peoples," said NFN's Anne
Petermann, report co-author. Petermann adds, "GE trees are the greatest
threat to the world's forests and forest-dwelling indigenous peoples since
the invention of the chainsaw."

This peer reviewed report is
the most up-to-date and comprehensive look at the threats posed by the
genetic engineering of trees yet produced, covering such issues as:

* GE trees and global warming:
A look at carbon offset forestry
* GE trees impacts on native peoples in the Global South
* The science of GE trees
* Debunking alleged environmental benefits of GE trees
* An examination of the main players in the GE trees industry around the
world
* GE trees and "free trade" agreements
* The Global Alliance Against GE Trees
* A listing of GE tree field trials in the U.S.

Brian Tokar, co-author of this
report and editor of "Redesigning Life? The Worldwide Challenge to
Genetic Engineering," (Zed Books, London & New York) states,
"Biotechnology seeks to turn all of life on earth into materials
to be controlled, manipulated and harvested for profit." Tokar continues,
"Genetically engineering trees would vastly worsen the already well-documented
environmental hazards that are caused by today's biotech food crops."

The Native Forest Network coordinates
an international educational campaign to alert people to the dangers of
GE trees. In the past year, NFN has set up a global alliance of organizations
to oppose this technology. Some of the other groups involved in this educational
campaign are ACERCA, Dogwood
Alliance, Econexus (England), Rainforest Action Network and the World
Rainforest Movement (Uruguay).